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UFS alumna and Council member honoured by the American Bar Association

01 July 2022 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied

Leah Molatseli_latest news — Leah Molatseli.

Leah Molatseli– alumna and Council member of the University of the Free State (UFS) – is the first African woman to be recognised by the American Bar Association in its list of Women of Legal Tech for her contribution and influence in the legal tech industry. A commitment to diversity is one of the core values of the American Bar Association, which the Law Practice Division aims to reinforce in the legal tech sector. Annually, talented women in the legal tech space are recognised for making an impact on legal tech.

A lawyer by profession, published legal tech author and speaker, as well as legal tech and innovation specialist, Molatseli uses technology and innovative means to empower and educate law professionals. She is currently head of business development at Legal Interact, a South African law firm that provides technology solutions for the legal industry.

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, congratulated Molatseli on her achievement. “On behalf of the executive committee of the University of the Free State (UFS) and the university community, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations on being recognised by the American Bar Association for your contribution to the legal tech industry. Being the first African woman to be honoured in this way makes this accomplishment even more extraordinary. You are a trailblazer in your field in so many ways,” said Prof Petersen.

Prof Petersen said, “The university, and the Faculty of Law in particular, is proud to be associated with you. We also appreciate your continued support to the institution. Your dedication and expertise inspire us all – I will continue to follow your professional journey, because I know there is much more in store”. Prof Petersen continued to thank Molatseli for contributing to the legal field in an innovative and contemporary manner.

Molatseli is host of and guest speaker for various legal tech talks globally, as well as a guest lecturer at the University of Cape Town, where she develops and teaches legal tech innovation-related courses to the legal industry. A Mandela Washington fellow, as well as a Notre Dame alumna, she is a member of the Women in Tech South African Chapter, a country member for the Global Legal Tech Consortium, and is one of 2022’s ILTA’s Most Influential Women in Legal Tech honourees.

News Archive

UFS council awards honorary doctorates

2007-03-22

The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) has decided to confer honorary doctorates on architect Prof. Barend Johannes Britz and author Mr Khotso Pieter David Maphalla.

Prof. Bannie Britz is being honoured for his contribution to architecture and Mr Maphalla for his contribution to the development of the Sesotho language and culture.
Prof. Britz worked as an architectural assistant abroad as well as in South Africa between 1961 and 1964, before establishing his own practice in 1968. He obtained a master’s degree in Urban Design in 1991 and was awarded the Prize of the City of Johannesburg for the best urban design dissertation.

He was appointed as Professor and Head of the Department of Architecture at the UFS in 1992. Prof. Britz is a member of several professional associations and has received 17 merit awards as well as a gold medal of excellence from the Institute of SA Architects.

Mr Maphalla is a prolific Sesotho author and has contributed significantly to the development of the Sesotho language and culture through his poetry, novels, dramas and short stories.

Most of his books have been prescribed for secondary schools throughout the country. His collected works are still used as reference works for literary studies by African Languages Departments at most South African universities.

Mr Maphalla played a significant role in the establishment of the South African National Sesotho Authors’ Association and has been the recipient of numerous awards for his sterling work. These include the M-net Book Prize in 1996 and a Lifetime Achiever Award in 2005 from the National Department of Arts and Culture, the first and only Sesotho author to have received this award thus far.

Media release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@mail.ufs.ac.za
19 March 2007

Prof. Bannie Britz

Mr. Khotso Pieter David Maphalla

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